Quinoa Salad Recipe – A green salad filled with apples, dried apricots, pistachios, quinoa, and goat cheese dressed in a honey mustard vinaigrette.
I’m slowly making my way out of a sugar coma. Between my mom’s birthday cake (happy belated b-day, mama!), Easter candy (I’m looking at you Reese’s eggs), and a few too many glasses of strawberry sangria (recipe coming soon!), I’m recovering from a deliciously sweet weekend. I’m hitting the reset button with this light and flavorful Apple, Apricot and Quinoa Salad.
I had a salad similar to this at a local wine bar, and I’ve been recreating it at home ever since.
Quinoa Salad Recipe
- Apples
- Dried apricots
- Quinoa
- Pistachios
- Goat cheese.
I LOVE the combination of flavors and textures going on here – creamy goat cheese, chewy dried apricots, crunchy pistachios, fluffy quinoa, and crisp apple. I dress the salad with a sweet and tangy honey mustard vinaigrette. The vinaigrette is made from a handful of ingredients that you probably have sitting in your kitchen right now.
Let’s put down the Cadbury eggs and make ourselves something with nutritional value. Grab a fork, friends. This salad is calling your name.
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Apple, Apricot and Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 5 ounces spring greens baby kale or spinach
- 1 apple chopped or sliced
- 8 dried apricots chopped or sliced
- 3-4 tablespoons pistachios chopped or left whole
- 1/3 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 ounces goat cheese crumbled
Honey mustard vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon heaping dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- salt/pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small jar. Tightly seal and shake until combined.
- Place the greens in a serving bowl. Toss the greens with your desired amount of dressing (you will not use all the dressing). Leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for a few days. Add the apple, dried apricots, pistachios, quinoa, and goat cheese. Toss if desired. Serve immediately.
Vivian | stayaliveandcooking says
Your weekend sounds pretty great… I know exactly how you feel though! All those Easter eggs and Easter cakes and you name it.
I love salads like this, the apple adds such a nice freshness don’t you think? And what a nice idea to use the pistachios, I would have never thought of that.
(Oh, and please share your strawberry sangria recipe ASAP! That sounds amazing!)
Celebrating Sweets says
The pistachios add a great twist. Thanks for stopping by!
David @ Cooking Chat says
what a healthy and hearty salad idea!
Celebrating Sweets says
Thanks, David!
Maria says
This salad looks awesome and so refreshing! I can’t wait to try it!
Celebrating Sweets says
You’ll love it!
Marye says
I am loving everything about this salad! It looks absolutely delicious!
Celebrating Sweets says
Thanks, Marye! It is!
Melissa Falk says
It’s nice to see someone else who enjoys a hearty salad. Kudos, too, for making your own vinaigrette. I do that as well. So simple and much healthier than buying prepared dressing. This is a wonderfully healthy meal.
Celebrating Sweets says
Thanks, Melissa!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
This looks like a gorgeous & filling salad! Love adding pistachios to salads (or anything!), and love the vinaigrette!
Teri says
This salad is delicious and a combination of flavors. This makes a terrific week night meal! Thanks for sharing!
Julie Evink says
I need a reset after each weekend I think! Love this filling salad with so much flavor!
Celebrating Sweets says
Thanks, Julie!
Kristine says
Great flavors!